Olivia Colman praises British film industry at Wicker's London Film Festival premiere
At the UK premiere of fantasy comedy Wicker at the BFI London Film Festival, Olivia Colman said Britain's industry backs "odd" films, and spoke of the film's viral online memes. Wicker opens in UK cinemas on 30 October.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1Olivia Colman, 52, praised the British film industry for championing "odd" films while speaking at the UK premiere of Wicker at the BFI London Film Festival. Evening StandardN “Award-winning actress Olivia Colman has praised the British film industry for championing “odd” films.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Colman told the Press Association: "I love the British film industry. I think it's alive and kicking", adding that "we really do champion the odd film" and praising the range of films at the festival. Evening StandardN ““I love the British film industry. I think it’s alive and kicking”“I feel like we really do champion the odd film.”” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 2In Wicker she plays an ostracised fisherwoman in a medieval village who, tired of being mocked for being single, asks a basket maker to make her a husband from wicker; he is played by Alexander Skarsgård. Evening StandardN “she plays an ostracised local fisherwoman who asks for a basket maker to construct a wicker husband for her” Read at Evening Standard ↗ BBC NewsN “Tired of constantly being mocked for being single, she hires a basketmaker to mould her a new partner made entirely out of wicker.” Read at BBC News ↗
Centre · 2Colman said she was drawn to the film because it was original, telling the Press Association it was "totally different" from scripts that can feel "samey", and telling the BBC she "really hadn't seen this before". Evening StandardN ““It can get a little samey, some of the scripts that come through, and this was so exciting that it was totally different.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ BBC NewsN “And this, I really hadn't seen this before, so I was excited,” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1She described her character as someone who did not need a husband and had one made partly to defy the village's prejudices, but who ended up falling in love. Evening StandardN “She did it mainly, I think, to stick her fingers up to the village and their prejudices. And it just turned out that she fell in love.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The BBC reported that the film has prompted viral memes and steamy jokes online since its trailer, including BookTok and FilmTok fans swooning over Skarsgård's character, and that Ikea posted rattan furniture photos on Instagram captioned "husband material". BBC NewsN “new film Wicker has sparked a deluge of viral memes and steamy jokes that have flooded social media ahead of its release.”“Swedish giant Ikea even got involved, posting photos of its rattan furniture on Instagram in a nod to the film, with the caption “husband material”.” Read at BBC News ↗
Centre · 1Colman told the BBC that "this has never happened for anything I've done before" and put the interest down to Skarsgård's outfit and people's appetite for escapism and fantasy. BBC NewsN “"No, literally this has never happened for anything I've done before,"”“But you put Alexander Skarsgård in an interesting outfit, and everyone is looking.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1Co-stars also commented: Elizabeth Debicki credited Skarsgård in the costume and called the film moving, while Skarsgård said the sex scenes were "super fun" to shoot and that the film touches on hierarchy and social structure with a light touch. BBC NewsN “"I think it was a lot to do with Alex in a wicker man costume, really,"”“He also said the sex scenes were "super fun" to shoot.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 2The film is based on Ursula Wills-Jones's short story The Wicker Husband and also stars Peter Dinklage, Elizabeth Debicki, Richard E Grant and Ella Bruccoleri. Evening StandardN “The film is based on the short story The Wicker Husband by Ursula Wills-Jones” Read at Evening Standard ↗ BBC NewsN “other stars including Peter Dinklage as the basket weaver, Elizabeth Debicki as the tailor's wife, and Richard E Grant as the village doctor.” Read at BBC News ↗
Centre · 1After its Sundance premiere earlier this year, the Guardian gave it two stars, saying there was "too much wood but not enough fire", while the Hollywood Reporter called it "a warming, sometimes poignant pleasure". BBC NewsN “cautioning that there was "too much wood but not enough fire".”“calling it "a warming, sometimes poignant pleasure".” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 2Wicker is released in UK cinemas on 30 October. Evening StandardN “Wicker is out in UK cinemas from October 30.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ BBC NewsN “Wicker is released in UK cinemas on October 30.” Read at BBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both centre outlets present a light entertainment piece built on Colman's premiere comments: the Evening Standard on her praise for the British film industry, the BBC on the film's viral memes.
- Emphasis
- The Standard stresses Colman's views on the industry and her character's motives; the BBC stresses internet buzz, the Ikea post, Skarsgård's costume and critics' reviews.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The Standard does not mention the memes or reviews; the BBC does not carry Colman's remarks on the British film industry.
- Charged language
- “2026's weirdest rom-com”“husband material”
- For example
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“Colman said she was drawn to the story because it was “totally original”.” — Evening Standard
“It has already been described as 2026's weirdest rom-com” — BBC News
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Colman stars in Wicker, based on Ursula Wills-Jones's short story The Wicker Husband.
- Colman spoke at the film's UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.
- Colman said originality drew her to the script.
- Wicker opens in UK cinemas on 30 October.
Olivia Colman person
Colman presents Wicker as an original, escapist romance and the British industry as "alive and kicking" and willing to back odd films; she is surprised by the online reaction.
“But, I don’t know, I feel like we really do champion the odd film.”” — Evening Standard
“"No, literally this has never happened for anything I've done before,"” — BBC News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Olivia Colman hails British film industry for championing ‘odd’ films
Sympathetic Event report centred on Colman's praise for the British film industry and her view of her character, with premiere fashion detail.
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Olivia Colman on viral Wicker memes: 'This has never happened to me before'
Mixed Light, playful feature on Wicker's viral meme buzz, with cast comments and a mixed critical reception.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 8 Oct 18:54 First Evening StandardN Olivia Colman hails British film industry for championing ‘odd’ films
- 9 Oct 00:08 +5h 14m BBC NewsN Olivia Colman on viral Wicker memes: 'This has never happened to me before'
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.